In this interview with Punch Newspapers, Nollywood actress Mercy Aigbe-Gentry and her husband talked about the secret of the success of their marriage and how they have been able to deal with the activities of the media and more.
Read their love story below;
How did you meet your wife?
Lanre: I met her through
one of my friends eight years ago. When I told her I fancied her, she
waved it aside. She also told me she already had a fiancé in Malaysia,
whom she loved and did not want to let down. One morning, she called to
tell me she was at my office. When I got there, she told me she had
agreed to marry me. I asked about her fiancé and she told me she only
did a bit of leg-pulling. She told me she used to be married and already
had a child.That was a non-issue as far as I was concerned.
How did he propose to you?
Mercy: He took me to an
eatery and when we finished eating, he popped the question. I was
surprised because I was not expecting him to ask me to marry him. He had
not taken me out for a long time so I was stunned when he said we
should go out. In fact, I teased him that he had changed, not knowing he
had something up his sleeve.
How long did you date for?
Mercy: We dated for about two years.
Were you sceptical about the success of the marriage?
Lanre: I was not. When
you are in love with someone, you ignore their flaws. My wife’s heart is
clear as crystal and she is a honest woman. I do not pray to have any
other woman in my life.
Were your families supportive of your relationship?
Mercy: Yes, they were.
Were you worried about getting married again?
Mercy: Yes, I was. That
was why I said I was not expecting it. I had a bad experience the first
time, so I had some reservations and I just wanted to face my career,
even though I loved him. I decided to put my trust in God and just go
with the flow. I was happy and scared at the same time.
What lessons did you draw from your first marriage?
Mercy: Then, I was young
and naive. Now, I handle issues differently. Also, the major reason my
first marriage failed was because my ex-husband’s mum did not want him
to marry from another tribe.
Is it true that you left your ex-wife because you wanted to marry Mercy?
Lanre: Not too many
people know me or how I live my life. Mercy was not instrumental to the
breakup of my first marriage. We had been divorced for almost three or
four years prior to the time I met Mercy.
You have had your share of controversies and scandals, how have you handled them?
Mercy: I do not think I
have had any controversies since I got married. They were just
misconceptions. People thought I married a married man and I was a
second wife. What they did not know or care to know was that he was
already a divorcee when we met.
You must experience domestic issues…
Mercy: There is no home
where spouses do not have issues. There is no perfect marriage anywhere
in the world. It is normal for husbands and wives to have little
misunderstandings, but I have never had any major issue.
Is it true you always embarrass her in public?
Lanre: How can I
embarrass my wife in public? I never do that because I respect her as a
person, wife and mother. A short time ago, a blogger reported that I
beat my wife. I was very angry because I could not understand why I
would want to condescend that low. I don’t beat my wife and I have never
beaten a woman. I don’t even know how to argue with people.
What are the secrets of your successful marriage?
Mercy: I would say God.
This is my second attempt and I decided to leave everything to my
creator. I have handed over my marriage to him so He is in charge. That
my marriage has been a success is not my making, even though I have had a
role to play in it.
I made up my mind to stay in my husband’s
house, irrespective of what happens and we both agreed to stick
together as a couple irrespective of whatever challenges we might
encounter.
As a busy woman, how do you create time for your family?
Mercy: My family comes
first in everything I do. My career as an actress and my fashion
business are secondary to me. Even when I am working, I always take a
break to catch up with my kids on anything I might have missed. I cook
and pamper my husband like I do for my son. My daughter is a teenager,
so I ensure we spend time together during which we talk about everything
including sex and boys. Let her hear from the horse’s mouth and not get
misinformed outside.
How would you describe the marriage so far?
Lanre: It has been
wonderful. She is a wife, mother and sister. She is very honest and
always there when I need her. I try my best to encourage her in her
career.
What are some of the challenges you have had since you got married?
Mercy: I am lucky to be
loved by my in-laws. We are different individuals with different values
and backgrounds. We do disagree to agree sometimes but it is usually
nothing to worry about. We are always quick to laugh such off.
What does she do to get you angry sometimes?
Lanre: She likes to argue and shout, especially when we are watching a movie.
What could be the cause of some failed celebrity marriages?
Mercy: We are always
under scrutiny by the public, and things which are normal with
non-celebrities become a big deal when celebrities are involved. People
should give us a break. They think celebrities are perfect and do not
make mistakes. There is so much pressure on celebrity marriages and that
brings about problems.
How can celebrities save their marriages from collapse?
Mercy: I have taken the
time to study celebrity couples like Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva who have
been married for a long time. They keep their private life away from the
public. If celebrities can do that, it would help. Also, they must
fight for their home and marriage.
How do you run the home when she is away on set?
Lanre: We have domestic
employees who assist with the chores. My wife cooks and ensures things
are in place before she leaves home for a production.
How do you spend time as a family?
Lanre: We spend some time out attending events, going to cinema or beach. We rest at home on Sundays.
What pet names do you call each other?
Mercy: I call him Alade Mi, or Cupcake when I need something from him.
Lanre: I call her Biodun and she calls me Lanre when she is not happy with me.
Two
South African men charged with the rape and murder of a 86-year-old
Austrian-born nun pleaded guilty on Tuesday, saying they had broken into
the convent to steal food. Sister Gertrud Tiefenbacher, from the Sacred
Heart Home Convent in the village of Ixopo, southwest of Durban, was
murdered last month. In a statement read in court, Sibongiseni Phungula,
25, said he and his co-accused, Mondli Shozi, 26, had gone to the
covent to look for food after a night of drinking.
They
were interrupted by Tiefenbacher, who shouted at them, the News 24
agency reported from Pietermaritzburg High Court. Shozi said he then
grabbed her, dragging her to her room and tied her up. “I then removed
her panties and had sexual intercourse with her,” said Phungula, adding
the elderly nun was “still moving” when he left her in her bed.
Tiefenbacher’s body was discovered the following day, with her hands tied with an electric typewriter cord and a wet towel over her face. “I wish I could undo what I have done,” Phungula said in his statement. The two men admitted to stealing a vacuum cleaner, groceries and a watch before fleeing. They said they had met earlier in a pub where they drank a bottle of brandy and another bottle of spirits before setting off to the convent.
The trial was attended by nuns from the convent. Tiefenbacher moved to South Africa 50 years ago to work for the Roman Catholic Church.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/two-s-african-men-plead-guilty-to-rape-and-murder-of-nun-86/#sthash.OtSSapIL.dpuf
They
were interrupted by Tiefenbacher, who shouted at them, the News 24
agency reported from Pietermaritzburg High Court. Shozi said he then
grabbed her, dragging her to her room and tied her up. “I then removed
her panties and had sexual intercourse with her,” said Phungula, adding
the elderly nun was “still moving” when he left her in her bed.Tiefenbacher’s body was discovered the following day, with her hands tied with an electric typewriter cord and a wet towel over her face. “I wish I could undo what I have done,” Phungula said in his statement. The two men admitted to stealing a vacuum cleaner, groceries and a watch before fleeing. They said they had met earlier in a pub where they drank a bottle of brandy and another bottle of spirits before setting off to the convent.
The trial was attended by nuns from the convent. Tiefenbacher moved to South Africa 50 years ago to work for the Roman Catholic Church.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/two-s-african-men-plead-guilty-to-rape-and-murder-of-nun-86/#sthash.OtSSapIL.dpuf
Two
South African men charged with the rape and murder of a 86-year-old
Austrian-born nun pleaded guilty on Tuesday, saying they had broken into
the convent to steal food. Sister Gertrud Tiefenbacher, from the Sacred
Heart Home Convent in the village of Ixopo, southwest of Durban, was
murdered last month. In a statement read in court, Sibongiseni Phungula,
25, said he and his co-accused, Mondli Shozi, 26, had gone to the
covent to look for food after a night of drinking.
They
were interrupted by Tiefenbacher, who shouted at them, the News 24
agency reported from Pietermaritzburg High Court. Shozi said he then
grabbed her, dragging her to her room and tied her up. “I then removed
her panties and had sexual intercourse with her,” said Phungula, adding
the elderly nun was “still moving” when he left her in her bed.
Tiefenbacher’s body was discovered the following day, with her hands tied with an electric typewriter cord and a wet towel over her face. “I wish I could undo what I have done,” Phungula said in his statement. The two men admitted to stealing a vacuum cleaner, groceries and a watch before fleeing. They said they had met earlier in a pub where they drank a bottle of brandy and another bottle of spirits before setting off to the convent.
The trial was attended by nuns from the convent. Tiefenbacher moved to South Africa 50 years ago to work for the Roman Catholic Church.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/two-s-african-men-plead-guilty-to-rape-and-murder-of-nun-86/#sthash.OtSSapIL.dpuf
They
were interrupted by Tiefenbacher, who shouted at them, the News 24
agency reported from Pietermaritzburg High Court. Shozi said he then
grabbed her, dragging her to her room and tied her up. “I then removed
her panties and had sexual intercourse with her,” said Phungula, adding
the elderly nun was “still moving” when he left her in her bed.Tiefenbacher’s body was discovered the following day, with her hands tied with an electric typewriter cord and a wet towel over her face. “I wish I could undo what I have done,” Phungula said in his statement. The two men admitted to stealing a vacuum cleaner, groceries and a watch before fleeing. They said they had met earlier in a pub where they drank a bottle of brandy and another bottle of spirits before setting off to the convent.
The trial was attended by nuns from the convent. Tiefenbacher moved to South Africa 50 years ago to work for the Roman Catholic Church.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/two-s-african-men-plead-guilty-to-rape-and-murder-of-nun-86/#sthash.OtSSapIL.dpuf
